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gleiten tates' atent @ffice SPENCER H.-BROWN, 0F NEWV YORK, N. i Letters,Patent IVO. 64,068, :inferi April 23, 18.67. i

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TO ALL WHOM I'l MAY CONCERN: y

Be it known that I, SPENCER I-I. BROWN, M. D. ofthe city, `county, andState of New York, have invented a new and improved Rotary Engine; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, which `will enable others skilled in the art to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specification, in whichi l Figure 1 represents a sectionalfront elevation of this invention, the cylinder head having been removedto expose the internal mechanism.

Figure l2 is a transverse central section of the same Similar letters ofreference indicate like part-s.

This invention relates to a rotary engine, the piston-wheel of which iscomposed of a thin' disk which works steam-tight between two' annularrims projecting from -the inner surfaces of the cylinder-heads, andwhich is provided with one or more pistons, the ends of which are facedoirn to work steam-tight against the inner surfaces of thecylinder-heads, while their top and bottom edges are so shaped that theywork steam-tight against the inner circumference of the cylinderandagainst the peripheries of the `annular rims, the whole being soconstructed that the weight of the piston-wheel is reduced as much aspossible without reducing the effective area/of the pistons; and,furthermore, byusing groundjoints all packing is rendered superfluous,and the t. friction is reduced to the lowest possible point. I

The abutment which separates the steam portion of the cylinder from theexhaust 'portion worksfin a recess in the inner eircnmfereneof thecylinder, and it swings on a. pivot so that it can turn up out of th wayof the approaching pistons.

The faces of the pistons are convex, so that the same, on coming incontact with thehinged abutment,

strike it rstsclose to the periphery 'of the piston-wheel, Where theirvelocity is smallest, and said abutment isvv opened as gradually aspossible.

' One or twoscmi-cylindrica-l stops, which work in correspondingrecesses in the peripheries of the annular rims on the inner surfaces ofthe cylinder heads, prevent the hinged abutment being forced back by theaction 'of the'steam beyond the desired position. By turning these stopsso that their-ilat surfaces come opposite the abutment, said abutment isfree to swing in either direction, and the motion of the engine canbereversed.

The abutment is provided with a notch which straddles the piston-wheeland works steam-tight against its sides and its circumference, while theedge of the abutment on each side of said notch drops into the recessesin the annular rims of the cylinder, and 'bears against the reversingstops so that the: escape of steam from one side of the abutment to theother is prevented, and yet the reversing motion of theengine isrendered practicable. A represents the cylinder of my rotary engine,which is provided with'twoxheads, one of which may be cast solid withthe body of the cylinder, while the other is movable and secured to thecylinder by a series of screws, or, it' desired, both heads may be mademovable and fastened to the cylinder by suitable screws. Said heads formthe bearings for the shaft B, on which is mounted the piston-wheel (l.This pistoniwheel consists of a thin disk, which isA faced off to worksteam-tight against annular rims a' which project from the innersurfaces of the cylinder-heads, as shown particularly in tig. ot' thedrawing. From the circumference ot` the pistoni wheel project thepistons D, which are faced off so that their ends work steamitightagainst the inner surfaces `ofA the cylinder-heads, their outer edgesagainst the inner circumference of the cylinder, andtheir inner edges(which project beyond the pistoIi-wheel) against Vthe peripheries of theannular rims a. By this arrangement the weight of the piston-wheel, andconsequently its momentum, can Vbe reduced, and yet the effective areaof the pistons remains undiminished, and, furthermore, all packing inthe joints can bc avoided, and the friction is reduced to the lowestpossible degree. E represents thc abutment which separates the steam andexhaust side of the cylinder. This abutment is placed in a recess, Z),in the inner circumferencc'of the cylinder, and it is suspended from apivot, e, on which it swings freely in either direction. As thepiston-wheel rovolves the pistons strike the hinged abutmentsuccessively, and raise the, same up in the recess so that they caupassAthe same without diiculty. The side surfaces of the pistons are convex,so that they strike the abutment close to the piston-wheel where theircircumferential velocity is smallest, and by these Ineens theabutment israised by the action of the steam which is admitted through the pipe F.-This pipe is provided with four branches, d c f g, which can be made tocommunicate through the four-way cock 71. If the engine is to run in thedirectio n of the arrow marked on it in g. 1, the cock 7L is turned sothat steam is admitted Athrough the pipe e, land that the same exhauststhrough the pipef. The piston is shown in the act of passing theabutment, and when it has passed the abutment is forced down by thesteam, and it is prevented from turning' down any further thandesirable-by the semi-cylindrical stops z'. 4These stops work inrecesses j in the annular rims a, and the abutment is provided with anotch, 7c, which straddles the piston-wheel, so that the edge of saidabutment on cach side o'f the notch is enabled to drop down into therecessesj and to bear against the stops z'. If these stops are turned tosuch a position that their flat surfaces are opposite the abutment saidabutment will clear the stops and the engine can be reversed, the stopsbeing turned back as soon as the abutment has passed them. It is obviousthat in order to reverse theengine the four-Way cock must be turned so.that the steam is admitted to the cylinder through the pipef andexhausts therefrom through the pipe e.

The operation ot' this engine is very simple. It can be run at a highspeed, and al1 its parts are lso coni structed that the same are notliable to get out of order.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patenti 1. The abutmentor valve E constructed as described, and pivoted so as to vibrate ineither direction, substantially as and for the. purpose specified.

2. The semi-cylindrical reversible stops z' in combination with thehinged abutment E, annular rims a, and piston-wheels C with pistons D,all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

` SPENCER H. BROWN.

Witnesses:

ALEX. F. ROBERTS, F. A. JACKSON.

